Wasps Legends donate £5,000 to Restart Rugby

Wasps Legends Charitable Foundation, the past players network of Wasps, men and women, amateur and professional announced today that they have issued a small grant award of £5,000 to Restart Rugby.

Restart Rugby is the official charity of the Rugby Players’ Association (RPA), supporting current and former professional players suffering from serious injury, illness or hardship. The charity provides financial support for players forced to retire and unable to work due to serious illness or career changing injury, helping with medical costs, rehabilitation and home improvement for disabled access. The charity also supports players through their transition out of rugby into retirement, providing career path opportunities and helping players retrain or attain qualifications. Restart Rugby also provides emotional support for players and their families struggling with depression and mental health issues by funding the RPA’s confidential counselling service.

The £5,000 donation will help support this confidential counselling service, which is provided by Cognacity. The counselling service provides practical and emotional support to current and former professional rugby players and their families struggling with mental health issues. The aim of the service is to ensure these players can access help and support when they need it and as quickly as possible before the issues escalate or result in physical or mental harm. Restart Rugby makes this service possible. The confidential helpline is a first touch point for any of players experiencing a mental health issue. It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and accessible from anywhere in the country. It is a discrete, safe lifeline for players finding it difficult to open-up and take the first step. Once contact has been made, a player will be able to access a trained professional who will be able to provide the support and help needed around issues such as anxiety, depression and stress, coping with injury, anger management, relationship issues, career transition, addiction and bereavement.

RPA Group CEO Damian Hopley said of the donation: “Restart Rugby relies entirely on donations, which is why we are extremely grateful to the Wasps Legends Charitable Foundation for their incredible support. This donation will go towards the running of our confidential counselling service which provides an essential lifeline to professional rugby players suffering from mental health issues. It means we can continue to be there for our members when they need us most.”

Genevieve Glover, Chair of Wasps Legends Charitable Foundation said of the announcement: “We are very pleased to continue our support of Restart Rugby. Mental health and wellbeing are so important and for rugby players, where traditionally, mental fragility can be considered as a weakness, it is important players have support as they transition out of the sport. Research has shown that it can take up to two years or longer for player to feel in control of their lives post-rugby.”